Mrs Gregson
by MistressSara
Summary: We're needed. An Avengers AU.
1. Chapter 1

Anthony Strallan had never intended for this to be his life. He had a very full childhood, thanks to his parents doting and the comfort of their fortune. When they passed Strallan found himself incredibly wealthy and without an occupation to keep him busy. The estate practically ran itself; the household was in pristine order, which in turn left him bored on a regular basis. So he did what any gentleman of leisure would do… he joined a secret organization established via the ministry and became a spy for England.

This started out as a wonderful notion. The missions kept Strallan busy and active. He worked with a marvelous woman named Maude Gale, she made for a competent, clever partner. Never could he imagine another woman taking her place. Of course once that notion crossed his mind Maude decided that she was going to take a job offer in the States, leaving Strallan to work solo again. Then that fateful day came.

**CRASH**

Strallan was jolted forward as a vehicle behind him made contact with his beloved Bentley. The crash was powerful enough to knock the bowler clear off his head, into the windshield, and then back onto the empty passenger seat. Glancing in the side mirror, Strallan was surprised to see a slender woman climbing from a powder blue Lotus Elan.

"My goodness, are you all right?" Strallan asked, vacating his own car to meet the woman where she was examining his car ended and hers began.

"A right side better than my car." She answered.

She was quite right; her Lotus bore the brunt of the impact.

"Perhaps I could give you a lift somewhere?" He offered, giving the woman a closer look. She was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Her reddish blonde hair was straight until the ends, which were flipped up in large curls. The pair of brown eyes that were examining him cautiously were bright.

"That would be lovely, thank you."

"You'll forgive me, but have we met before?"

"I'm certain I would have remembered you."

"I know we've… Miss Crawley!" He suddenly announced. "I remember your picture in the paper when you took over your father's company."

"That must be it. And I'm actually Mrs. Gregson now."

"What luck for Mr. Gregson." He remarked without thinking.

"Not quite. He's passed. A test pilot, went missing over five years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Yes, well." She shrugged half-heartedly.

"Where to?"

"Care for a bit of lunch?"

"Sounds marvelous, I know just the place."

That was the beginning of it all.

Since that day they had faced many foes. An entire town that had moved underground, mad scientists, Cybernauts, a nursery serving as a front for an organization using hallucinogenic chemical and a man dressed as a nanny to pry government secrets from high ranking officials. Strallan smiled fondly as he recalled the many adventures he had been on with Mrs. Gregson.

"Strallan?" Her voice suddenly broke through his reverie, he didn't hear her come into his flat. "What has you grinning like that?"

"Just thinking. Where are you off to?" He asked, taking note of her traveling jacket and a small case in her hand.

"I received a letter from my father."

"Oh dear."

"Yes, my presence has been requested at Downton."

"And by requested…?"

"Mandatory. Feel like a jaunt to the countryside?" She sighed. He thought for a moment, things had been slow lately and it had been quite a while since he visited Locksley.

"Sounds like a splendid way to spend the weekend. Perhaps you could stay at Locksley instead of Downton in the evenings?" He suggested, aware that she was following him to his closet.

"If I have to walk across the field, I will be there." She smiled, watching as he packed his own suitcase.

"Did Lord Grantham say what he needed you for?"

"Something to do with business matters. His usual cloak and dagger nonsense." She shrugged.

They took his long since fixed Bentley, enjoying the drive through the countryside. Unlike his former partner, Strallan always found that he was quite happy to sit in silence with Edith Gregson. They were perfectly content to simply be together, though conversation with her was equally stimulating.

"Would you like me to come in with you?" Strallan asked as he pulled the car to a stop outside of the towering house.

"No, that's all right. I want this to be over quickly."

"I'll pick you up in an hour?"

"I'll see you then." She smiled, climbing out of the car and towards the front door. Strallan waited until she was inside before pulling away. He would return to Locksley for the next hour, make sure there was a clean guest room for her, a bottle of champagne chilled for their evening in, and dinner prepared for when she arrived.

"Hello?" Edith called out, closing the heavy door behind her and hesitating in the entranceway. Usually Carson would be there, waiting to open the door, but she couldn't see anyone in the house. A chill ran down her spine as she moved further into the house. It was dark inside, the electric lights were low in the hallway, the only other glow she could find came from the fireplace in the library. "Father?"

"He had to go out." A female voice replied. Edith moved towards it, slowly reaching into her purse for the small revolver she had taken to carrying. "Please, have a seat, keep me company."

"Who are you exactly?" Edith asked cautiously, taking a seat opposite the skinny, brunette woman.

"Jane Moorsum… Your father calls me Janie." She laughed, taking a sip from the glass of wine she held in her right hand.

"And what are you doing here, Jane?"

She laughed again, it was an unsettling sound that had Edith tightening the grip on her gun.

"I'm here to kill you all." She grinned manically. Before Edith could react something hard hit her from behind, knocking her unconscious, leaving her at the mercy of her father's deranged mistress. Her only hope now was Strallan and his planned return.


	2. Chapter 2

Edith came to on the floor of the wine cellar, there was a sizable bump on the back of her head, supplying her with a constant throbbing pain. The sound of raised voices certainly wasn't helping the situation.

"This is your fault, Robert!" Edith heard her mother snarl as a pair of cold, delicate hands moved her head so it rested against something soft.

"I didn't think…"

"No, you didn't. Now you've put us all in danger!"

"Please stop shouting." Edith groaned, slowly blinking her eyes open. Her head rested in her mother's lap.

"Are you all right?" Came Sybil's voice from where she and Mary sat at the steps.

"Dizzy. How long was I unconscious?"

"Not long, just a few minutes." Her younger sister answered.

"Good." Edith nodded, glancing at her watch before slowly sitting up. "Anthony will be back in about half an hour."

"What good will that do? Will he bore Jane to death?" Mary sniped.

"No, but he will certainly be able to do more than we're capable of in here."

Looking around the cellar it was clear that there weren't many options for escape. The door was locked and the short passage that led to the Butler's office had long since been locked off… although… Edith quickly flew into action, reaching for the square heel of her boot and twisted it off to reveal the slender tools for lock picking.

"Edith!" Cora exclaimed as her middle child moved towards the door just beyond where her father was seated.

"Never hurts to keep them on hand." She shrugged, kneeling at the lock and beginning to work.

"And what do you propose we do once we get out of here?" Mary questioned.

"Run. Go out through the back door in the kitchen, get to Locksley, tell Anthony what has happened. They took my gun…"

"You have a gun?" Robert demanded.

"Yes. Beautiful golden revolver, pearl handle, quite useful although not when my father's mistress gets the jump on me."

"When you said you were doing a bit of government work…" Her father began, ignoring her jab.

"I'm afraid that's classified… here we are." She smiled, turning the rusted doorknob and opening the passage to Caron's office. "Are they holding anyone else?"

"No. The staff wasn't due to arrive until tomorrow morning. We received a telegram asking us to come early."

"I received a call from your secretary requesting my appearance here." Edith stood, sliding the secret compartment of her heel back into place.

"That didn't strike you as odd?" Sybil asked innocently. It was true, there had been a deep rift between Edith and the family in the past years.

"I assumed there were more papers to sign and you didn't want to disrupt the holiday."

"Don't be a child." Mary chided, pulling herself to her feet and moving towards their escape. "Perhaps this is why father wants me running the company."

"Or was it because you're his favorite and decided you were bored? Certainly had nothing to do with the way I ran things." The two started through the corridor, Mary trying to charge ahead. "Stop!"

"One would think you'd be used to my being ahead of you by now." Before Edith could respond a large hand landed on Mary's shoulder.

"What're you doin' out here?" He demanded. Before the brunette could react, Edith had pulled her free of the man's hold and was engaged in a sparring match. With a well placed chop to the back of his neck and a sweep of her leg behind his knees, the guard was unconscious on the floor.

"Unless you've suddenly picked up Judo, I suggest you let me go first." Edith explained, making her way slowly towards the back door of the kitchen, leaving the family silent in her wake. Turning back she realized they were staring blankly between her and the man on the floor. "We need to move before they come looking for him."

They made it to the back door in quick time, Edith ushering her mother and sisters out into the small, stone courtyard. She and her father remained in the doorway, waiting for the trio to start out.

"What are you doing?" Cora demanded as soon as she realized they weren't following.

"We'll stay here, you'll have a better chance getting away if they're preoccupied with us." Edith explained. "Go, get Anthony."

"Be careful." Sybil called as she gave her mother and sister a push towards the dark open field that lay ahead of them.

"What now?" Robert asked, watching the bulk of his family disappear into the night.

"We distract them."

**x-X-x**

It took about ten minutes for the three Crawley women to reach the main gates of Downton and then another fifteen to make their way through the woods to Locksley. The gray bricks and glowing windows were a marvelous sight to see after running through the pitch black night.

"Sir Anthony!" Sybil shouted as soon as she realized there was a figure moving from the front door of the grand house. She took off ahead of Cora and Mary, trying to reach the door as quickly as possible. But when she got there it wasn't Sir Anthony but rather a man with dark blonde hair, wearing a chauffer's jacket.

"He's inside, do you need something?" The Irishman asked.

"Yes, it's an emergency." She managed, out of breath and fueled by adrenaline.

"Come in, come in." He ushered, pushing the door back open and allowing them in while he disappeared down a hallway. "Sir Anthony?"

"What is it?" The man in question asked, appearing in the doorway to the library. "Lady Sybil?"

"It's Edith, you must come immediately."


End file.
